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Addition of Jacques brings more depth, experience to Syracuse

Monday, 01.21.2013 / 1:21 PM
Peter Pupello
- Lightning Beat Reporter

The Syracuse Crunch made it clear that they are leaving no holes unfilled.

The team added forward Jean-Francois Jacques on Monday in an exchange that sent future considerations to the Florida Panthers, providing Syracuse with some extra depth at the forward position.

The trade, perhaps came as a result of the vacancies in the Crunch lineup left by both Cory Conacher and Pierre-Cedric Labrie after each made the Tampa Bay Lightning’s NHL roster out of training camp.

“We felt like we needed to add a power forward to our group,” Crunch general manager Julien BriseBois said. “Someone who brings some size, some grit, and who can score.”

Jacques certainly fits that exact role.

In 24 games this season with the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage, Jacques has collected five goals and seven points to go along with 37 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-3, 231-pound left winger also ranked tied for first on the Rampage with three power-play goals.

He also brings some intangibles as well, having played in 166 career NHL games that could prove useful in helping mold the Crunch’s core group of players, who are for the most part, young.

The acquisition of Jacques, too, comes at a good time, with the team fresh off receiving forward Kyle Wilson just last week following his stint in the Lightning’s 2013 training camp in Estero.

With the Crunch currently sitting just one point out of the top spot in the AHL’s Eastern Conference, both Wilson and Jacques should make an impact rather quickly as Syracuse prepares to make another entry into the postseason.

NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks and NHL Mobile name and logo, NHL GameCenter and Unlimited NHL are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams.